She's Back!

The UPS man delivered yesterday.  Charlotte was very patient with him when he came through, destroying her home.  I didn't hear either of them yelling.  She may have cursed silently, and perhaps the UPS man did as well.  

Charlotte stayed up all night rebuilding.  This time she rebuilt just a bit lower, but did not include a line to the pilasters.  I climbed up on a chair to take this photo.  I was perched precariously, trying to focus on the spider, but the camera kept focusing on the tree way behind the web.  As I leaned closer, trying to find her in the shot, I realized the breeze was blowing her and her web toward me!  Time to rethink this shot!  So I climbed on our big rock so the sky was behind the web.  The camera could focus on Charlotte, and her web was no longer aiming right at me.

I would really like to see how she manages to run a line from one tree to the other.  Does she climb down, crossing the sidewalk, laying line behind her and somehow managing not to get it tangled along the way?  Does she take a flying leap when the breeze is just right?  Does she shoot the web with her tiny fly-fishing pole?  Does she enlist the help of some trusting flying being?  I thought I'd see if I could find out, so I headed over to YouTube.  I found this delightful video.  I didn't learn how the initial line is strung from tree to tree, but I did  learn a lot! Spiders are fine, but I've got to admit this guy is more accepting than I am! 

Here's another video.  You can almost see how this spider makes her stitches!


Charlotte still has lines going to the two trees, so if you come visit me you will be walking under her handiwork.  Today you can walk up our sidewalk without disturbing her web.  But if I were in your shoes, I'd watch my step...  looking up!

Update: My sister sent me this helpful site. Apparently they do like to fly fish, but without the fishing rod. I guess that makes sense since it is indeed flies she's fishing for.